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Planning commission discusses Garfield School parcel; provides no rezoning approval
Summary
Commissioners discussed a proposal from the owner of MH Pump & Supply to retain a rear parcel of the former Garfield School site for storage and sell remaining land for housing. Commissioners expressed a preference not to rezone to industrial and asked the owner to return with a specific proposal.
The Adrian City Planning Commission spent significant time on May 5 discussing redevelopment options for the former Garfield School property after a representative said the owner of MH Pump & Supply has explored using part of the parcel for a storage building while selling the remainder for housing.
Dan (voice 2) said the owner purchased the parcel after the school was torn down and described a large, unusually shaped site that backs up to the Kiwanis Trail and a railroad right‑of‑way. He said the owner would like to retain a rear portion for storage space and sell off the rest for a housing development.
Commissioners noted the property is currently zoned R2 while adjoining lots are R1 and that there is an I1 area where MH Pump presently operates. Members raised questions about access from Winter Street and whether an alley or spur would be needed to serve a new building. One commissioner said rezoning the parcel to industrial would be a ‘‘spot zone’’ and warned that rezoning could open the parcel to broader industrial uses that might be undesirable for adjacent residential areas.
Commissioner (voice 6) emphasized the site’s value as residential land adjacent to the trail and urged caution about giving up developable residential acreage. Commissioners discussed potential uses, including previous interest in housing for veterans, but noted the VA has no funding for that option at present. The commission did not take formal action to rezone the property.
The commission’s direction was procedural: staff and the property owner should clarify the specific scope of any proposed development (acreage, building square footage, access needs, and truck turning requirements) and return with a formal application. Commissioners broadly signaled they would not be inclined to approve an industrial rezoning without a detailed, justified proposal.
